A 13-Year-old mentally challenged child who had been suffering from a liver ailment died at the Yerawada Boys Observation Home on Friday. The boy had recently been shifted to Yerawada from the Daund special home after that latter was closed down. He was bed-ridden when he was shifted.

The Minister of Women and Child Development Varsha Gaikwad has ordered an inquiry into the matter and demanded the shifting of the children to one of the 26 special homes in the state.

When The Indian Express informed her about the incident,she said she was aware that the children had been shifted to the Yerawada Boys Observation Home. However,she said she had not yet been informed about the childs death.

I have now ordered an inquiry into the incident and will ensure that the children are shifted from the observation home at the earliest,said Gaikwad.

The Child Welfare Committee (CWC),which is responsible for accommodating such children in these homes,pleaded helplessness in the situation. The childs condition was not good. He was rushed to Sassoon General Hospital where he was declared dead. The health of these children by and large is not good,said CWC member Anita Vipat. She has written to the Satara home for mentally challenged children to take care of these children. Superintendent of the Yerawada home,Shahaji Landge,said the medical authorities have preserved the boys viscera to ascertain the cause of death.

District women and child welfare officer Suvarna Pawar blamed the earlier private organisation  Shriram Development in Daund  for not taking care of the children. Organisations like these are cropping up everywhere. They show their commitment initially and then close down,which puts pressure on the department.

According to the probation officer Sarla Marne,the child came to their organisation on January 20. He was mentally challenged and bed-ridden on account of a liver ailment. He was being attended to by our medical officer. However,on Friday night,he collapsed while he eating. We rushed him to Sassoon,where he was declared dead, said Marne.

The organisation is not only battling the problem of how to take care of kids with special needs,but also needs staff to help such children. We need expert trainers for these children, Marne said.